Swiss students as old as 11 going to school in diapers
Potty training is one of the most challenging things a parent and child will go through, but it is also one of the most memorable bonding milestones.
Potty training is somewhat of a rite of passage for parents and children. As much as it is something that children have to go through, it is very much our duty to guide, assist, and support our children during this milestone.
And so, it is extremely concerning to hear teachers in Switzerland out their students who are still wearing diapers. Some are as old as eleven years old.
"In Switzerland, some children begin school at age four, so it is not uncommon for them to still be wearing diapers. However, they are not the problem that many teachers in the European country are reportedly facing these days. According to multiple sources, students as old as 11 years old are coming to school in diapers, and teachers are expected to clean and change them if necessary." (Oddity Central)
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Sounds a bit disappointing considering there is a certain level of esteem that has been held in terms of European education.
And we would have assumed that parents and teachers alike would prioritise potty training being completed at an early age.
The problem has become so bad that one headmaster has arranged for events to inform parents that children need to be 'dry' upon their return to school after the holidays.
Another school has decided to put out flyers as their form of communication with parents. The flyers inform parents that it is not the teacher's responsibility to change student's diapers.
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“Parents have a duty to ensure that their school-age children no longer wear diapers,” Dagmar Rösler, President of the umbrella organization for teachers in Switzerland, told 20min. “When 11-year-olds come to school in diapers, that’s a worrying development. Teachers are not there to change their students’ diapers. That is going too far.” (Oddity Central)
Rösler went on to say that it is vital to distinguish between children who have physical problems due to psychological trauma and those who have been the bearers of neglect.
Blame should never be on that of the child, and parents should be held accountable. No one can attest to the challenge of parenting more than parents, but, remember, enabling your child isn't doing them any good either.
We are meant to empower them in every way possible, and that includes teaching and supporting them to use the toilet.
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